Baling-press.



N0. 808,780. PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906.

J. R. ROBINSON.

BALING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906.

J. R. ROBINSON. BALING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1904.

2 SHEETS wifiwsses JAMES R. ROBINSON, OF DUBLIN, GEORGIA.

BALlNG-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1 6.

Application filed Tilly 25, 1904. Serial No. 218,015.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dublin, in the county of Laurens and State of Georgia, have invented a certain new and useful Baling- Press, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are to provide a baling-press of durable construction in which a maximum amount of power will be applied to the plunger through the pitman with a minimum amount of power exerted by the draftanimal.

A further object is to provide a press of this class in which the parts of the device when set in position for operation will be firmly fixed in the ground-surface in such a way that the draft-animal will have a perfectly smooth track as it is driven around in a circular path, owing to the particular construction of my plunger and pitrnan attached to it.

A further object is to provide a roller at the head of the pitman so arranged that it will coact with the cross-head of the tongue and a minimum amount of friction will be prevalent in the operation of the pitman, and, further, to provide guide-tracks for the plunger so arranged that the wear on the sills of the device and the strain upon them will be at a minimum.

A further and material object is to provide a tucking-roller so arranged as to coact with the head of the plunger as it approaches its extreme rearward limit of movement in such a way that the hay which is thrown into the hopper before the plunger is operated will be fed into the baling-chamber, and, further, to provide a spring-actuated mechanism for maintaining in the desired position the upper portion of the baling-chamber and at the desired inclination.

My invention consists in certain details in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete baling-press. Fig. 2 is a top view of the plunger and a portion of the sills, showing the plunger-head and the hopper sides in section. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rear portion of the baling-press, showing the baling-chamber and the plunger-head in the hopper and also showing a portion of the platform which is placed over the sill in section. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the adjacent ends of the plunger and pitman and the wayin which they are connected with each other; and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the baling-press, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the numerals 10 and 11 to indicate the sills of the press. These sills extend throughout the entire length of my device and are separated from each other to allow the plunger to operate freely between and longi-' tudinally of them. These sills may be mount ed upon the ordinary axles 12 and 13, which in turn may bear wheels, so that the press can be easily moved from place to place if horses are attached by the means of a tongue (not shown) to the axle 12. The forward end of the sills 10 and 11 are connected by the power-stand 14:. Mounted on and extending upwardly from this stand is a bearing 15. Rotatably mounted on the bearing 15 is a cross-head 16, having the rounded ends 17 and 18 thereon. Attached to the cross-head 16 and on opposite sides of the pivot 15 is the sweep 19, to which is attached a draft-animal for operating the press and when attached is driven in a circular path around the bearing 15. Extending upwardly from the sill 11 and adjacent to the forward end thereof is a pivot 21, upon which the guide-arms 22 and 23 are mounted. These guide-arms extend over the sill 10 in one position and are separated from each other by the washer 2 1, which is mounted on the pivot 21 and between these arms.

I have provided a curved guide-track 25, which is attached to the sill 10 at one end and to the power-platform at its other, upon which the guide-arm 28 is designed to move when the guide arms are operated. Pivotally mounted between the free ends of the guidearms 21 and 22 is the pitman 26. This pitman has a roller 27 mounted at its forward end in such a way that said roller may be rotated in a horizontal plane. This roller is designed to be engaged by the rounded ends 17 and 18 of the cross-head 16 when the crosshead is swung around on the bearing 15 and to coact with said cross-head in forcing the plunger rearwardlyf The coaction between the cross-head and the roller is such that a very slight amount of friction is produced by the pitman as the cross-head is swung on its bearing. Attached at one end of the pitman 26 and at the other end to an adjusting-chain to the plunger proper.

28, which is in turn attached to a hook 29 on the sill 11, is a spring 30, designed to normally force the pitman to its forward limit of movement and retain it in that position until it is forced rearwardly by the operation of the cross-head 16 as it is swung on its pivot. Mounted between the sills 10 and 11 and slightly beneath a line drawn through their upper surface is the plunger 31, which is pivotally attached at its forward end to the rear end of the pitman 26 by means of the detachable pivot 32. At the forward end of the plunger 31 is a cross-head 33, which is slidingly mounted on the tracks 34 and 35, mounted on the inside of the sills 10 and 11, respectively. The top of this cross-head is in line with the upper surface of the sills and is so mounted on the tracks 34 and 35 that as the plunger is moved forwardly and rearwardly it will be supported by this cross-head and the tracks on which it is mounted and will be capable of reciprocating smoothly between the sills as the pitman is operated. Attached to the inside of the sill 11 and extending forward] from its point of attachment is the leaf-spring 36, the free end of which is maintained away from the sill by the spring 37, mounted on the rod 38, which is designed to maintain adjustably the tension of the spring 36. This spring 36 is engaged by the crosshead 33 and limits the forward movement of the pitman and plunger, which is caused by the action of the spring 30, and to break the force of the plunger as it is drawn by the spring 30, so that the shock on the parts will be reduced to a minimum.

Detachably mounted on the sills 10 and 11 and extending above them is the bridge 39, which is in the circular path through which the draft-animal passes and is designed to prevent any dirt or foreign substance from getting between the sill and the platform as the plunger is operated.

Forming the rear end of the plunger is the plunger-head, which comprises an end portion 40, which is substantially at right angles to the plunger proper and extends upwardly some distance from it. The top portion 41, extends forwardly from the end portion 40, substantially at right angles to it and parallel Mounted between the upper portion 41 and the plunger proper and in engagement with the forward end is a block 42, which is securely held in position relative to the plunger, the top portion 41, and the end portion 40 by means of the long bolt 43. This block is designed to make the plunger-head solid and rigidly secure it to the plunger proper, so that a great amount of pressure can be put upon the plunger and a great amount of pressure against the plunger head without displacing any of the parts.

At the bottom of the end piece 40 is a metal plate 44, which extends across the entire end of the plunger-head and rests upon the tracks 45 and 46 on the sills 10 and 11, respectively, so that as the plunger is moved longitudinally between the sills the plate 44 will slide longitudinally of these tracks, and this plate will protect the wearing of the plunger-head to a large extent as it is operated.

Extending upwardly from the sills 10 and 11 and at the rear of the bridge 39 are the hopper sides 47 and 48, respectively. These sides are supported in position relative to the sills 10 and 11 by posts 49 and the cross-timbers 50, which connect the upper and lower portions of these posts. The two most forwardly posts 49 and the most forwardly cross-piece 50 are also additionally secured by the braces 51 and 52, which are connectedat one end with this cross-piece and at their other ends with the sills 10 and 11. Beneath the sills from the most forwardly portion of the hopper sides to the extreme rear end of the baling-press is a bottom 53, which forms not only the bottom of the hopper, of which the sides 47 and 48 are a part, but also the bottom of the baling-chamber to be hereinafter described.

Mounted on each of the sides 47 and 48 and adjacent to the top of them is a retaining-strip 54, which is designed to maintain the plunger-head in its longitudinal path of movement. It will be seen that as the pitman is operated the plunger will be reciprocated between the sills 10 and 11 and the plunger-head will be forced into and drawn out of the hopper.

Rotatably mounted in the forward ends of the sides 47 and 48 of the hopper is a tuckingroller 55, which is normally held at its lower limit of movement by means of the springs 56 and 57. When this roller is at its lower limit of movement, it is so positioned that the rear end of the plunger will barely pass beneath it, so that as hay is thrown into the hopper and forced beneath the roller 55 by means of the operation of the plunger and the plunger-head the roller will have a tendency to force the hay rearwardly as the action of the plunger-head causes it to rotate. In performing this function the roller is highly efficient, because of its being pressed downwardly by the springs 56 and 57. Mounted adjacent to one end of the roller 55 is a ratchet 56, with which the pawl 57 is in engagement. This pawl allows the rotation of the roller in one direction, but coacting with the ratchet prevents the rotation of the roller in the opposite direction, so that there will be no tendency of the roller to withdraw the hay which has been forced rearwardly by the plunger-head when the plunger-head is drawn forwardly.

Pivotally mounted in the slots 58 at the rear end of each of the sides 47 and 48 of the hopper are four block-catches 59, which are forced inwardly to a position where their rear ends will be inside of the inner surface of the sides 47 and 48 by means of the springs 60,

IIO

acting in conjunction with a number of plates 61, which are mounted outside of the sides of the hopper. The ordinary block used in the baling is maintained in position by these catches to prevent the hay which has been forced from the hopper rearwardly into the baling-chamber, to be hereinafter described, from being forced forwardly while the plun ger is drawn forwardly, so that the hopper can be refilled.

Immediately at the rear of the hopper is the baling-chamber 62, which is formed by the sills 10 and 11, by the bottom 53, above described, and by the top portion, which is composed of two sides 63 and 64, which side pieces are connected by braces 65, 66, and 67, and between which side pieces is a series of boards 68, extending longitudinally above the bottom. This top portion is connected with the two most rearwardly posts 49. Firmly attached to the sills beneath their extreme rearwardly portions is the cross-piece 69. Extending through this cross-piece 69 and upwardly through the ends of the cross-piece 67 are the rods 70 and 71, having screw-threaded top portions. There is a cross-piece 72 on the extreme upper portions of these rods 70 and 71, through which the rods pass. Mounted on that portion of the rods 7 O and 71 which is between the cross-piece 72 and the cross-piece 67 are the springs 73 and 74, and there are nuts on the screw-threaded portion designed to hold the cross-piece 72 in position. The top portion of the baling-chamber 62 is designed to be inclined downwardly a slight distance from its point of attachment to the posts 50 and to be maintained normally in that position by means of the springs 73 and 74, which rest against the cross-piece 72 and on top of the cross-piece 67, which is a part of the top portion. The inclined top portion, which is maintained in this position by these springs 73 and 74, will prevent the hay from being forced through the balingchamber until the hay has been compressed sufficiently to get a bale of proper size and shape, and then when another mass of hay is pressed forwardly through the hopper by the plunger the bale already formed will have moved forwardly and the inclined top portion of the baling-chamber will be moved upwardly against the resistance of the springs 73 and 74 and one of the bales will be dropped out of the rear or delivery end of the press. The tension of these springs 73 and 74 can be adjusted by adjusting the nuts on the rods 70 and 71.

In practical operation the baling-press is set up and a trench is dug in the ground of sufficient depth to admita part of the sills, so that these sills will not project above the groundsurface to any great extent. The dirt is then replaced in close proximity to the sills and tamped down, so that the entire press will be held rigidly in position in the ground as it is being operated. The draft-animal is then attached after the bridge 39 has been placed in position and is driven in a circular path. It will be seen that as the sweep is drawn around by the draft-animal one of the rounded ends of the cross-head 16 will engage the roller at the forward end of the pitman 26 and will cause said pitman and the plunger attached to it to be moved rearwardly against the resistance of the spring 30. When this pitman has been moved a certain distance rearwardly, the rounded head of the cross-head 16, which has been in engagement with said roller and the spring 30, will, as soon as the roller is out of engagement with the cross-head 16, cause the pitman and its attachments to be drawn to its forward limit of movement, the spring 36 limiting the forward movement and preventing the shock which would otherwise be caused by bringing the pitman to a sudden stop as it is drawn rapidly forward by the spring 30. When the pitman is at its forward limit of movement, the plunger-head will be almost entirely out of the hopper and the hay'which is near at hand-is thrown into this hopper until it is filled, when the operation is repeated to force the plunger rearwardly, and consequently force the hay into the baling-chamber. Before the plunger is operated at all the ordinary baling-block is placed in engagement with the end of the plunger, and this is forced rearwardly at the same time the plunger is forced rearwardly, and as the plunger approaches its rearward limit of movement the block will force the block-catches 59 outwardly as it is moved rearwardly and will be engaged by these catches and maintained against forward movement as the plunger-head moves forwardly. By this operation the hopper is always ready for a fresh supply of hay after the pressing operation is completed. It will be seen that on account of the way in which the plunger is positioned between the sills and the way in which the bridge 39 is mounted, there will be little, if any, rise above the ground -sur face at the point where this bridge is placed, so that there will be practically no obstruction to the draft-animal as it is driven around in its circular path.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is-

In a baling-press, the combination of a baling-chamber having sills fixed with respect thereto, a reciprocatory plunger having a cross-head disposed between the sills, a powerstand, a horizontally-swinging pitman pivoted to the plunger and having an antifricton-roller extending beyond its forward end, a tractile spring connecting the power stand and the pitman, a horizontally -rotatable cross head mounted on the power stand and having rounded ends arranged to engage the roller of the pitman and also havinga sweep, a curved track fixed with respect to the power-stand, ported between the forward portion of the a horizontally-swinging arm pivotally conleaf-springandthesilltowhich saidleaf-spring IO nected with the power-stand and the pitrnan is connected.

and movable on said track, a leaf-spring connected at its rear end to one of the sills and I JAMES ROBINSON having its forward portion disposed between Witnesses: the sills in position to be engaged by the cross- A. C. MORRIS,

head, and a coiled spring interposed and sup- R. D. FEAGIN. 

